This invention relates to a mechanism for providing independent movement of the outer segments of a sphere or other three-dimensional object and applications thereof, including use of said mechanism to provide a logic puzzle.
A common engineering problem, particularly in the space industry, is to move instruments exposed on the surface of an object relative to each other, altering the angular relation between them. For example, a satellite in orbit may have many external instruments such as antennae, solar panels, communications apparatus and the like all of which radiate from its outward surface and which must be held in particular orientations for particular tasks. Furthermore, the orientations may need to change dynamically and in a controlled fashion.
In space, this is difficult to achieve as any moment applied to an instrument to move it leads to an equal and opposite moment on the satellite etc. as a whole.
Therefore, moving instruments can lead to unwanted alterations in the orientation of the satellite.
It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for altering the angle between and orientation of different items of apparatus on the surface of an object such as a satellite.
The motion of the instruments around a central core are found in several other applications, for example, security cameras in shops are fixed to the ceiling at one particular point and the camera must then be able to move to all solidangles and in all directions. This would typically be achieved by having one actuator which can rotate the camera around a vertical axis and a second actuator which can move the camera vertically. It is difficult to devise a means for doing this which will allow the camera to be able to move smoothly and controllably through as wide a range of solidangles as possible.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a means for varying the angular relationship between sections of the surface of an object such as a sphere.
A related field which can be looked to for guidance in this area is the field of logical puzzles. Three dimensional segment puzzles are well known and various formats for these have been proposed. The best known example is that which is known as the Rubik""s Cube in which one large cube is made up of a series of interlocking smaller cubes. These cubes can be moved relative to each other and rotated around a central axis. This movement is powered only by the user, but the Rubik""s Cube shows some of the principles of combinatorially adjusting the relative position of segments of the surface of a three-dimensional object.
A further aim of the present invention is to devise new formats for segmented logic puzzles. In the Rubik""s Cube, each of the various cubes from which it is formed has one of a series of colours applied to their outer faces and the object of the puzzle is to arrange the cubes in order to present a solid colour on each of the faces.
Various proposals have previously been made to produce a similarly segmented puzzle which is spherical. One such example is described in EP 542327. This is an eight segmented puzzle in which each segment attaches to a conical element on the central core section. Theoretically various combinations of segments can be rotated around different axes. In practice there is a conflict between the close tolerance required to prevent the puzzle coming apart and the need for a degree of movement between the segments to allow the parts to be rotated relative to one another. The puzzle in this document is also likely to become easily jammed.
Additionally with only eight playing elements, the scope of the puzzle is limited. It is therefore a further object of the present invention to provide a puzzle which is easy to use, whilst not requiring impractical tolerances in the manufacturing process. Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a three-dimensional spherical rotary puzzle which is more complex than that of the Rubik""s Cube and other such puzzles which are already known.
The following description will emphasize logic puzzles but the correspondence between these puzzles and the engineering problems of altering the relative angular relation between instruments should be recalled throughout.
According to a first embodiment of the present invention there is provided apparatus for moving parts of the surface of a three-dimensional object relative to each other, the apparatus comprising a plurality of surface segments which have a part of the surface of the object thereon and a plurality of joining segments, each surface segment having a plurality of formations which slidably cooperate with complementary formations on the joining segments, the arrangement being such that the joining segments provide a means of linking the surface segments to form a three-dimensional object in which the surface segments are moveable relative to one another in such a way as to enable individual groups of surface segments to be exchanged with each other.
Preferably, the apparatus has eight surface segments and twelve joining segments.
Preferably also, the apparatus has a core element which defines axes of movement for the segments.
More preferably, the core element comprises six generally cylindrical elongate members arranged orthogonal to each other and which define axes of movement for the segments.
A surface segment may be joined fixedly to neighbouring joining segments.
Typically, one surface segment is held in a fixed relation to the core element.
The joining segments may have a part of the surface of the object thereon.
The elongate members which comprises the core element may have a part of the surface of the object thereon.
The surface segments may be configured to each receive three outermost segments which have part of the surface of the object thereon, the outermost segments being adapted to cooperate with adjacent outermost surface segments and thereby form a circular track around which the outermost segments may move.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a puzzle comprising apparatus according to the first aspect above wherein parts of the surface of the object have pattern elements thereon.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a machine for controllably orientating a plurality of devices, the machine comprising apparatus according to the first aspect above wherein the devices are mounted on parts of the surface of the object and there are further provided means for controllably urging individual segments to move relative to each other.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for moving parts of the surface of a three-dimensional object relative to each other, the apparatus comprising a core and a plurality of external segments, wherein the external segments have formations thereon arranged to slidably cooperate with corresponding formations on the core, in which the external segments are moveable relative to one another in such a way as to enable individual groups of external segments to be exchanged with each other.
Preferably, the core comprises a plurality of core tops and the external segments have means for slidably cooperating with the core tops.
Preferably also, the external segments have an inner and outer shell connected by a joining piece, wherein the inner shell and outer shell are adapted to hold edges of the core tops therebetween.
Typically, eight external segments are provided.
The inner and outer shell of a joining piece may be separably joined and urged together by a biasing means.
Preferably, the inner and outer shell of a joining piece, when together, is less than the thickness of a core top.
Preferably also, a core top has a recess adapted such that when the external segments are moved into a home position, the biasing means urges the inner and outer shells to cooperate with the recess and so make an audible and/or tactile click.
Preferably also, an external segment is fixed in position relative to the core.
The external segments may be configured to each receive three outermost segments which have part of the surface of the object thereon, the outermost segments being adapted to cooperate with adjacent outermost surface segments and thereby form a circular track around which the outermost segments may move.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a puzzle comprising apparatus according to the fourth aspect above wherein parts of the surface of the object have pattern elements thereon.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a machine for controllably orientating a plurality of devices, the machine comprising apparatus according to the fourth aspect above wherein the devices are mounted on parts of the surface of the object and there are further provided means for controllably urging individual segments to move relative to each other.